Bury Me In Satin
by Darth Rapture
Summary: Raleigh Becket is the last hope for the resistance, but when he meets Piper Derby, he realises he's not the only one harbouring fears and insecurities. In order to prevent the coming apocalypse, Raleigh must work with a group of Jaeger pilots with their own secrets. Yet the closer he becomes to Piper, the more he realises what he's really fighting for. Raleigh/OC
1. She's A Commotion

**Chapter One: She's A Commotion**

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** A/N: Don't get me wrong, I love Raleigh and Mako! But I do see them as having more of a friendship than a romance. So yeah, Piper came into mind. I hope you enjoy this first chapter! Please review :) Any guesses about Robbie are more than welcome ;)**

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Piper Derby watched with her hands planted on her hips as the _Striker Eureka_ was carefully lowered into the Shatterdome. She had been unfortunate in missing seeing it in Sydney when the Category IV _kaiju_ broke through the Anti-Kaiju Wall. She couldn't help but scoff. What kind of idiots really thought a wall was going to stop a _kaiju_? Shaking her head, Piper turned away from the awe-inspiring sight and walked out to the helipad. The weather hadn't been great these last few days, but at least today the sun was shining.

Sure enough, Herc and Chuck Hansen were already striding towards the entrance to the Shatterdome, fresh off the helicopter. Piper couldn't quite suppress a grin as she strode over towards them. Australian by birth and upbringing, Piper had been at the Hong Kong Shatterdome for three months by request. They needed as many Jaeger technicians as they could get.

"Well, well," Herc chuckled as he pulled Piper into a warm hug. "Look who it is. We missed you at the Sydney Shatterdome on closing day."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there." Piper tucked a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. "But you know, the Marshall wanted me here helping out. You guys did an amazing job though. I'm sorry about _Vulcan Specter_ and _Echo Saber._"

Piper's eyes wandered towards Chuck without thinking. He was observing her closely, but didn't offer as warm a greeting as his father. She ignored the fact that it slightly upset her. She'd known the Hansens for what, more than five years now? If Chuck was going to be immature, than that was his own problem.

"How's Robbie?" Herc asked, eliciting a smile from Piper.

"He's good. Really keen to see you. I'll have to bring him around later."

She felt something nudge her leg and looked down to see Max, the Hansens' bulldog. She smiled and leaned down to pat him. She'd always liked him. Max licked at her hand and Piper couldn't help but laugh. She should have known the Hansens would bring Max. He was practically their means of communication.

Piper led the way into the Shatterdome, secretly hoping that Mako was somewhere around and could take over showing the Hansens around. But she knew the older girl was probably busy, so she'd just have to stick with Chuck's dislike for now. She trailed out onto the bay floor, smiling proudly as she gestured to the three Jaegers that had already been present when_ Striker Eureka_ arrived.

"Over here we've got _Cherno Alpha._" Piper gestured to the huge Russian Jaeger – the only Mark I left in existence, and the biggest and oldest Jaeger left. "I'm not sure where Sasha and Aleksis Kaidonovsky are…"

"Doing my job for me?"

Piper turned to see Mako crossing the bay floor, clipboard in hand. There was a smile across the young woman's face and Piper couldn't help but grin in return. She hadn't been at the Shatterdome long, but she'd befriended Mako easily, considering they were similar in age. She turned to the Hansens and gestured to Mako.

"Herc, Chuck, this is Mako Mori. She's one of the brightest around here, and is in charge of the Mark III restoration program."

"Mark III?" Chuck asked skeptically, folding his arms over his chest. "What Mark III are you talking about? They're all gone."

"Not all of them," Mako interjected, pointing over to where _Gipsy Danger_ was situated. It was the only Jaeger to have been brought back from Oblivion Bay, where the destroyed Jaegers were dumped. "_Gipsy Danger_ has been repaired and restored. We're hoping to use it in the plan to bomb the breach. Its pilot arrives tomorrow."

"What, you mean Raleigh Becket?" Chuck snorted derisively. "He's a relic now. Why do we need him? His days as a Ranger are over."

"Show some respect," Herc chastised him. Mako seemed a little awkward about watching the two argue, but Piper was somewhat used to seeing Herc and Chuck fight by now. All she could do was remain silent and wait until they were done.

"Whatever," Chuck hurled back at his father, "I'm going to check out the mess hall. I need a feed."

"Don't worry about him," Piper glanced at Mako, who was watching Chuck storm off with a startled expression. "He's usually like that when he doesn't get his way."

"You know him?" Mako asked, a little surprised. She knew that Piper was from Australian, but she'd never known she knew the _Striker Eureka_ pilots so well. Piper just shrugged in response, before glancing at Herc, who had his arms folded, clearly unimpressed with his son's behaviour.

"Yeah. Herc, did you want to see Robbie now?"

A slightly strained smile crossed Herc's face. "Sure."

* * *

"Have you ever thought about becoming a pilot?" Mako inquired as she and Piper entered the mess hall for dinner. It had been a very busy day, and Piper felt like she'd been on her feet for most of it. Her blonde hair was braided out of her eyes. First she and Mako had done a check-up on _Gipsy Danger_, then she'd gone over to do some checks on the _Striker Eureka_. She was just happy to be getting some food in her stomach at last.

"What do you mean?" Piper asked, grabbing one of the standard trays and dishing herself up some beef stroganoff, tonight's meal. Yes, she'd considered becoming a Jaeger pilot – but she'd always been too damn young. Even when _Striker Eureka_ was launched in 2019, she'd been fifteen years old. She was nearly twenty-one now, but she couldn't ever see herself piloting a Jaeger.

"Well, when you think about it, _Gipsy Danger_ only has one pilot," Mako pointed out as they crossed over to an empty table and sat down. Piper could feel Chuck's eyes burning on her back, but she ignored it. "Raleigh Becket. His brother Yancy died in '20. I've been assembling a list of possible co-pilots for him…and I was wondering if you wanted to be part of that list."

"Oh." Piper thought it was very generous of Mako to offer her a place, to even consider her, but she really didn't think she was right for the job. She was only a technician. She knew a few things from judo classes as a kid, but that had been years ago now, and was only really self-defense. There was no way she had enough combat experience to make it as a pilot. Then there was Robbie…"Thanks, Mako. I appreciate the offer, but I don't really think I'm cut out for it. Are you going to try?"

Mako sighed wistfully. "I want to. But I don't think the Marshall is going to let me."

Piper bit her lip, but immediately set about eating her food. Over at their table, Herc and Chuck seemed to be involved in another argument. Piper would bet anything it was something to do with Robbie. She looked down at her tray of half-eaten food, and suddenly she didn't feel so hungry anymore.

"Excuse me, Mako. I don't feel so good. I might call it a night. Let me know if you need any Jaeger check-ups before I go to bed."

* * *

Raleigh Becket had to admit that he was pretty impressed with the Hong Kong Shatterdome. It was the first built and could house the most Jaegers, so it made sense that it would be the last to shut down. Mako Mori led him around the Shatterdome, and Raleigh couldn't help but be amazed when he saw _Gipsy Danger._ It had been five long years, but she looked good as new.

"Polishes up pretty nice, huh?"

Raleigh turned at the sound of a female voice with an Australian accent, noticing a young blonde woman walking up to him and Mako. She looked about the same age as Mako, and could have passed for a surfer with her tanned skin, bright blue eyes and golden hair. She offered him a warm smile and held out a hand. It was surprisingly tough and worn, and he could tell that she was a manual worker.

"Piper Derby. You must be Raleigh Becket. I'm one of the technicians under your friend Tendo Choi."

"Piper's been a big help with _Gipsy Danger._" Mako smiled as Piper brushed her hair behind her ear and waved a modest hand. "She helped get all the systems online once we'd put her back together."

"Mama! Mama!"

The yell resonated through the bay and everyone looked around. Piper groaned as she saw a copper-haired eighteen-month-old toddling down the corridor. The small child almost tripped over his own feet, and Piper stepped forward, picking the baby up and kissing his cheek.

"You have a kid here?" Raleigh couldn't help but be surprised. The Shatterdome didn't really seem like the sort of place to raise a child, not to mention that Piper would be barely out of her teens. However, he knew better than to question her. He'd only just met the girl, he didn't want her to get irritated at his curiosity.

Piper smiled tightly. "Say hello to my son Robbie."


	2. Where The Lonely Ones Roam

**Chapter Two: Where The Lonely Ones Roam**

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**A/N: Wow, 11 reviews already! Thanks so much guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's not very long but I hope it gives more insight into Piper :) Please let me know what you think!**

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Piper sat on the floor playing building blocks with Robbie when there was a knock on the door. She pushed herself to her feet, tucking her hair behind her ear. No doubt it was Herc – he loved spending time with Robbie, feeling guilty for how little he saw the child. She opened the door, but her warm smile faded when she noticed Chuck standing with his arms folded over his chest, looking somewhat uncomfortable.

"Oh. It's you."

Chuck tried to peer past Piper. "I want to see him."

"Oh really?" Piper planted her hands on her hips. Chuck had made very little effort to see Robbie since he'd arrived. Not that he usually made much effort. After all, Chuck's life revolved around piloting his Jaeger, not an eighteen-month-old child. "This is a first. Did Herc talk you into it?"

"He's my son too, Piper," Chuck replied tersely. He did see Robbie when he could – but it wasn't often enough for Piper's liking. As much as he hated to admit it even to himself, Robbie had been an accident. He shouldn't even exist, because he changed everything for Chuck. He put barriers between him and Piper, but also meant he had to remain a huge part of Piper's life for Robbie's sake.

Despite the fact that having being a twenty-one-year-old father was an annoyance, Chuck didn't want to be a shit parent. His father hadn't exactly raised him really well, and he was determined not to make the same mistake with his own kid. Besides, when Robbie looked up at him and smiled delightedly, how could Chuck not love him?

Piper sighed heavily and stepped aside, letting Chuck in. It had been months since she'd seen him last, and they hadn't been on great terms since Robbie had been tiny. She shut the door, turning around and watching as Chuck picked Robbie up, kissing him on the cheek. Despite the fact that Chuck didn't see Robbie too often, the little boy still knew that Chuck was his dad.

"How have you been, Robbie, huh?" Chuck grinned, jiggling the toddler in his arms.

"Block!" Robbie replied enthusiastically, holding up a blue plastic building block he'd been playing with.

When Piper saw Chuck with Robbie, she wanted to give it another chance. But the problem was that they'd given it about a million chances by now, and it hadn't worked. She just had to accept the fact that despite Chuck being a part of Robbie's life, they weren't going to work as parents together, just separate entities. Chuck saw Piper watching him and frowned slightly, setting Robbie back down.

"What?"

"It's nothing, Chuck," Piper exhaled deeply, but knew that she had to say it anyway. She was a practical girl, and she saw no logic in holding all these emotions inside her when they would be better off in the open. "Just…I see how much you care about him. I wish you'd spend more time with him. Even Herc sees him more than you do."

Herc. He had always been the proud grandpa. He had grimaced and complained about having a grandchild when he was in his forties, and Piper had been terrified that he would judge her. But he doted upon Robbie, and Piper often wondered if he was trying to make up for his lack of parenting with Chuck – not that she'd ever bring it up.

"Shit, Piper." Chuck raked a hand through his hair. Robbie was too young and too oblivious to note the conversation between his parents, instead focusing his attention on the coloured building blocks. "I'm busy, okay? We got a mission. You know I love Robbie, but there are things more important than my son."

"I get that." Piper had raised Robbie mainly by herself, with some financial support from the Hansens. She hadn't complained because despite having been only eighteen when she'd had Robbie, she'd already had a steady job as a technician at the Shatterdome. She was focused and mature, and Robbie didn't throw any of that off balance. "Look. I think you should go. Thanks for coming to see Robbie."

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Raleigh only had a few days until he'd be presented with the candidates to pilot _Gipsy Danger_ with him, but at the moment that was the least of his concerns. Chuck seemed to have developed an immediate animosity towards him, despite Herc's attempts to have the two young Rangers befriend each other. Sighing heavily and shaking thoughts of the Hansens away, Raleigh headed over to what had quickly become his favourite vantage point so that he could take a look at his old Jaeger.

"She's quite something, huh?"

A voice startled Raleigh, and he turned to see Piper leaning against the rail, looking out towards _Gipsy Danger _like him. She offered him a slightly sad smile and pushed herself away from the ledge, walking over to him.

"What you remembered?"

"Pretty much," Raleigh admitted. His Jaeger was the same, but the people around him had changed. Stacker remained a constant – but then there was Mako, and the Hansens, and Piper…and her kid. "Look, Piper, I don't mean to be rude but I'm just curious. Why wouldn't you have left Robbie in Australia with his family? Why bring him to the Shatterdome?"

Piper shrugged, glancing over at _Gipsy Danger._ "My family is here really."

"Your parents? His father?" Raleigh persisted, before biting down on his tongue. It wasn't really any of his business, and Piper had every right not to tell him. He was just curious as to why she'd bring her young child to the Hong Kong Shatterdome if there'd been another place for him. A sudden suspicion struck Raleigh and he swallowed hard. "Piper, who is Robbie's father?"

"My parents," Piper said softly, and suddenly a melancholy light entered her eyes and she stared down at the Jaegers in the bay with something like longing. "How much do you know about Aleksis and Sasha Kaidonovsky?"

"The Russian couple?" Raleigh questioned. He'd met the two briefly on the bay floor, but he hadn't really spoken to them in depth. "I've only just met them."

"A husband and wife couple piloting a Jaeger," Piper murmured, and again Raleigh thought he had a suspicion where her parents were. She glanced at Raleigh and raked her hair out of her eyes, which were sad. "My parents were amazing, you know? The Derby couple. They were such an inspiration for me. But they went down in '23, just before I had Robbie."

"Oh." Raleigh wasn't quite sure what to say. He knew what it was like to lose someone, although Piper's situation was a little different. That explained why she didn't have anyone to mind Robbie while she was in Hong Kong. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…it's not my business."

"It's okay." Piper smiled a little, tilting her head to the side. "Do you think you could tell me a bit about Yancy? I mean, I've heard he was a great pilot."

It was the first time anyone had really openly talked about Yancy. Others tended to skirt around the issue or approach it tentatively, but Piper was so open about it, and Raleigh couldn't help but find that sort of attitude refreshing. He leaned against the rail, watching the clean-up crew washing some of _Gipsy Danger_'s dirtier parts.

"We got along so well, he was just a great older brother and…I miss him, but I know that I can't be afraid of doing what I have to because I lost him last time."

"I think you're really brave," Piper stated, tilting her chin up. "All of you are. There are only four Jaegers left, but you're going to do one hell of a job. I just know it."

"Piper!"

She whirled around to see Chuck standing there with his arms crossed over his chest. He didn't look too impressed.

"Herc wants to speak to you."

Piper offered Raleigh an apologetic smile at their conversation being interrupted, following Chuck down a flight of stairs and down a corridor. When Herc was nowhere in sight, Piper began to grow suspicion. She gripped Chuck's arm and whirled him around.

"Herc didn't want to see me, did he?"

"No." Chuck shrugged his arm out of her grasp, gripping Piper by the shoulders. "Look, why are you hanging around Raleigh? He's a has-been. You've taken a fancy to him, have you?"

Piper scoffed at the thought. "I barely know the guy. Now you're just being stupid."

She knew better than to think it was jealousy. Chuck might have loved her once, but he didn't know. He just didn't like Raleigh, and he didn't like the thought of Piper crushing on him. She wrenched away from him. Chuck didn't own her, they weren't dating. They were the past, and she hadn't yet decided what to make of her future. Right now, she was taking it one step at a time. Chuck put Jaegers first, then Robbie. That was why he wasn't a real dad. For Piper, things were the other way around.


	3. Young Blood

**Chapter Three: Young Blood**

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** A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short! It's mainly because of some revelations that I'm saving for next chapter - such as more about Chuck and Piper's past relationship, Robbie's conception and its consequences, and the mysterious Asher.**

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Raleigh watched Piper as they sat down for lunch in the mess hall. The young woman was speaking with Mako in a low voice, raking her hair out of her eyes every now and then. He forced his gaze back to his own table, where Herc was in the middle of a conversation – or by the sound of it, a chastising – with Chuck. The younger man was rolling his eyes and shaking his head, clearly not pleased with what Herc was saying. Raleigh leaped into the conversation, listening closely.

"…stop being such a jerk to her."

"I'm not being a jerk," Chuck grumbled, folding his arms over his chest and leaning back. Raleigh knew that they were talking about Piper, and he decided to keep his silence for now. It wasn't really his business, and he'd intervened enough on matters concerning Piper. However, he had a suspicion about the father of Piper's child, and Chuck and Herc's conversation seemed only to confirm that suspicion.

"So you visited Robbie?" Herc demanded.

"Yes," Chuck seethed, before darting a glance at Raleigh and noticing that he was listening intently. He scowled and offered the fellow Jaeger pilot a glower. "What are you looking at, Becket? Mind your own business."

But Chuck seemed to have had enough, because he shoved himself to his feet and stalked off, Max closely following on his heels. Herc sighed and ran his hands through his hair as he watched Chuck make his agitated departure, before he turned his attention on Raleigh. The younger man raised his eyebrows.

"Chuck is Robbie's father, isn't he?"

Herc smiled wryly. "Doesn't take a genius to figure that out."

Raleigh found himself wondering who else knew that Robbie was Chuck's child. It didn't seem like the Jaeger pilot spent much time with his son. Piper's eyes followed Chuck as he left the mess hall, before they quickly glued back to her tray. Raleigh turned away, concerned that she might see him looking at her. He wondered vaguely whether the young mechanic was one of Mako's candidates, but dismissed the idea. After what had happened to her parents, why would Piper aspire to be a Ranger?

"So has Piper been living with you since '23?" Raleigh inquired, "She mentioned…"

Herc gave him a puzzled look. "Since '23? No, she's been living me with Chuck and I since '19. Why do you ask?"

Raleigh shook his head, finding it slightly odd but deciding not to question it. Maybe Piper's parents had been piloting since 2019…but then again, so had Herc. _Stop thinking about Piper! She's none of your concern._ Pushing his mind away from the subject, he decided to approach another topic.

"Chuck doesn't seem too fond of me."

Herc laughed, but the sound held no mirth. "Chuck doesn't like most people. Don't take it personally. You'll prove him wrong. He should have more respect for his fellow Rangers, but…he seems to care more about machines than other human beings."

Raleigh looked up to see Stacker Pentecost approaching them. It was a rarity in itself to see him about the mess hall. Herc offered Stacker a smile and it was apparent that the two were on good terms as he rose to his feet and shook the other man's hand. Stacker's gaze, however, was fixated on Raleigh.

"We have a press conference this afternoon."

"Press conference?" Raleigh jumped to his feet, immediately alert. He hadn't faced the press since Yancy's death, and he wondered if they would still have questions concerning that, buried under five years of avoidance and keeping to himself. "What for?"

"They want to talk about the last Jaegers, Hong Kong Shatterdome being the last stand." Stacker shrugged his broad shoulders. "I would advise you to clean yourself up. You don't yet have a copilot, so there's every chance that you will be a hot topic of conversation. I've allowed some of the reporters restricted access within the Shatterdome, so they'll be able to take some pictures of the Jaegers…you know how the media is."

Raleigh understood the sudden rush of the press, and it haunted him slightly. They all thought that this was it. The Jaegers were a dying ideal, they were no longer required in a world desperately seeking other options to combat the growing threat of the _kaiju_. The media wanted one last look before the doors closed forever on a legacy that had dwindled down to four remaining Jaegers. All of a sudden, he felt extremely nervous.

* * *

Piper was not extremely happy about having cameras and reporters around the Shatterdome. They were so quick to bombard the Rangers, asking any question that came to mind no matter how personal it might be. Folding her arms, she pursed her lips and realised that with so many reporters around, there was no way she was slipping past to work on _Gipsy Danger_ without being hounded by them. The last thing she wanted was reporters on her back, especially after last time.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who's camera shy."

Piper turned and smiled in relief when she saw Herc striding towards her, hands in pockets. Of course, Chuck was up there and centre of attention, just how he liked it. Some things definitely never changed. He was also doing his dad a favour though, because Herc had never been one for the limelight. Chuck's presence in front of the cameras meant that Herc could stay out of the way without question.

"I never want to go near them." Piper hugged herself tightly, biting at her lip. "I'm always scared that they'll ask about Asher."

Herc's expression immediately became one of sympathy, and he reached out to her. Piper stepped away, eyes finding the ground. She didn't want to be one of those girls who wanted people feeling sorry for them. Of course, Herc understood the situation better than most, but Asher was a name she rarely mentioned nowadays. The memories were still painful, glass shards embedded in her heart even after all this time.

"Piper…"

"No, I'm okay," Piper assured him, even offering him a fleeting smile despite knowing it wouldn't satisfy him. "Herc, really. I just need to forget about it – but the media never forgets, damn them."

Piper thought about Raleigh Becket. The cameras wouldn't forget him either, or his brother Yancy's death. It had been five years, but they never forgave, and they never forget. She noticed that poor Raleigh was right in front of the reporters as much as he looked like he wished he could be otherwise. From what she could hear, they were definitely grilling him about Yancy a bit, and Raleigh appeared lost for words.

Steeling herself, Piper resolved to intervene. She wasn't a Jaeger pilot, just a technician. They wouldn't want to talk to her. She kept telling herself that as she took a deep breath and crossed over, flashing a smile and taking Raleigh's arm, deliberately putting herself in the spotlight in order to draw him out of it.

"Sorry, guys. Raleigh here has a very busy schedule, so you'll have to cut the questions – sorry."

They turned on her like a pack of rabid wolves.

"Miss Derby! How are you coping after what happened to Asher?"

"How old is your son now? Robbie, isn't it?"

"Are you and Chuck Hansen still together?"

Piper gritted her teeth and was met with no resistance from Raleigh as she tugged him away from the flashing cameras and excited reporters. Once they were in the corridor, Piper breathed a sigh of relief and raked her hands through her blonde hair, turning to glance at Raleigh who was looking grateful.

"In case you were going to ask who Asher is…"

"I wasn't." Raleigh held up his hands as if in surrender. "You've already been hounded enough by them. It's nothing I need to know about."

"They weren't interested in me," Piper murmured, despite knowing that it was a lie. Sure, she was only a technician, but the past always came back to haunt you when you least expected it. She had been involved with Jaeger pilots, and she had been a fool if she thought that it wouldn't come back to bite at some stage. "I just heard them asking all these questions about Yancy and…well, I thought you might want to get out of there."

"Yeah, I did." Raleigh offered Piper a wry smile. It was thoughtful of her to think about bailing him out, and she seemed intuitive to tell that he was only forcing a smile and wasn't really enjoying the spotlight as Chuck did. "I do actually have a question, though."

Piper sighed heavily, bracing herself. "Yes, Raleigh?"

"I was wondering if I could meet Robbie. Properly, I mean."

Piper was a little astonished. She had only briefly introduced Raleigh to her son, but she hadn't been aware that he was interested in dealing with kids. She couldn't help but laugh a little. Finally, someone who didn't judge her for being a young mother with her child at a Shatterdome.

"Sure."


End file.
